The Brass Coffin
by BingoZero
Summary: In an effort to amend for past transgressions Konoha and Suna are making a peace offer to the Green House Country. Neji and Tenten, Kankurou and Temari are assigned to be the bearers of the olive branch. But do things ever go as they are planned?


**Hello everyone. This is Bingo Zero writing a little bit here in the forward. This story is meant as a sequel to _Cat And Mouse Games_. So if you want to know about the relationship Kankurou and Tenten shared before this story, please, feel free to read it first (they're a bit complicated). But you probably don't need to know any of the background to appreciate this current story (no pressure, but CAMG is a good story). Thank you, and please enjoy _The Brass Coffin_.**

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Tenten was rushing through the forested wilderness preserve with her teammates. They were running late for a mission. The forest is well known for it's natural beauty. The wild flowers filled the air with the perfume of spring time. The gentle woodland creatures that call this home scampering out of the way of the charging ninjas. The sun was shinning down from it's highest position, which showed they were already late.

"Gai-sensei, I told you we needed to leave sooner. Now we will miss our best opportunity." Tenten scolded.

"Tenten-san, when Hamaki-daimyo invites you for drinks to discuss the nature of his mission, you do not deny him. You must always take time out for important clients and friends." Gai said as if to impart on her an important life lesion that she must have missed.

"Do not worry Tenten-chan. We will get there before the ceremony. We will move double, triple fast. Yosh!" Rock Lee said with his usual exuberance while picking up the pace.

Neji was quiet through all this dialog. Simply accepting the setback and instead focusing on the mission. Their client, Hamaki, is a daimyo in this region and, apparently, close to Gai. In that he will frequently request Gai specifically for his missions. Hamaki does not approve of his son's choice in the girl he is going to marry. Specifically to this mission, he does not want him to marry her with a ring that is a family heirloom and so it is Team Gai's job to recover this ring and return it to Hamaki-daimyo. Gai had a duplicate ring produced with the plan being they would arrive before the ceremony and switch out the rings.

The ceremony was set to happen at noon in the clearing of this preserve. The sun was telling them that the wedding should be starting anytime now. They all ran as fast as they could hitting the edge of the forest right before the clearing where they could see the ceremony just starting. It was a beautiful ceremony, chains and wreaths made from flowers, and a small band playing lovely music. Hamaki's son was standing at the alter with his finest military clothes on. His bride was just beginning to make her appearance from out behind a screen behind the crowd of seated people.

"Damn! We're too late." Tenten cursed her luck.

"Don't worry. Don't worry. It's still early, it will be more difficult, but we will have a chance to lift the ring off her during the reception afterward." Gai said as he showed he was also displeased at loosing their best opportunity.

"It may be rather difficult to take the ring off the woman while she's wearing it. We may need to get her drunk or drug her." Neji said while thinking of the best options.

Hamaki's son had soldiers under his command line the isle, and as his bride approached, they pulled out their decorative sabers and created an arch for her to pass under. She was very beautiful in her white gown. Tenten was watching this scene and began fantasizing about one day her own wedding. That it could be so beautiful as this one is. Like out of a story book.

As the bride passed halfway through the arches of sabers, when one of them swung down almost cleaving her in half. The guard that had the sword in his hand had a wild look in his eyes as he tried to remove his sword from the young woman. The scene erupted in pandemonium. Everyone began running around screaming. The man who had murdered the bride began to panic and tried to shout something but was quickly encircled and executed by the other guards. Hamaki's son was screaming, tearing through the crowd and finding his bride to be began clutching her to his chest sobbing.

The scene completely took the four ninjas by surprise. For a second they all starred in awe of what just happened, when Gai interrupted their silence. "Neji, you need to move quickly and use this panic to move in and get the ring."

Neji moved swiftly and silently, completely invisible in the terror educed panic. He located the best man and lifted the ring like a well seasoned pickpocket. But hesitated before leaving. He reached into another pocket and pulled out the duplicate ring and dropped it on the ground. Neji maneuvered out of the crowd and back into the woods as quickly as possible.

With Neji back with his teammates Gai made the announcement that they had to get out of there right now. They all turned away and began sprinting back to Konoha. But as Tenten was turning she saw a strange movement in the tree tops. She paused to look as she saw a black shadow turn and almost like roll in the canopy of the tree. Then she saw the shadow had a face, turning as if to purposely allow her to see it. Then as quickly as she saw the face the whole shadow disappeared like it was only shifting lights through the leaves.

Kankurou. Kankurou had been behind the spectacle she had just seen and now he wanted her and only her to be aware that he was near. Tenten didn't know how to process this information. It had been months since she last saw Kankurou at that small village that he left her at. And now he returns with this grotesque display. Tenten didn't feel safe standing there contemplating, so she took leave to catch up with her teammates.

She didn't know what it meant that she was seeing him again, but she had a bad feeling that he was going to be forcing himself into her life again.


End file.
